Many areas exist where it is beneficial to implement an artificial sense of touch. A tactile sensor is a transducer that can be used to provide this artificial sense of touch by measuring the force applied between a surface of the transducer and an object in contact with the transducer surface. Tactile sensors are commonly used in applications which involve handling or manipulation of an object (e.g., robotic grippers) to ensure that the amount of force applied to such object remains well below a level that might cause damage to the object but with enough force to adequately grip and control the object. Tactile sensors formed from pressure sensor arrays, strain gauge rosettes, or other electro-mechanical sensing systems are subject to permanent deformation when subjected to repetitive stresses during operation, providing shifting sensitivity, less than optimal reliability and a short life span.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method for tactile sensing which overcomes the problems recited above.